Arsene Wenger focuses on league after Man City defeat

Manchester City's Edin Dzeko and Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said the Premier League's top four is more important than trying to win the League Cup after losing to Manchester City.

City beat a youthful Gunners side to progress to the Carling Cup semi-finals following Sergio Aguero's late strike.

Arsenal were runners-up last year and have not won any silverware since 2005.

"I consider the championship the most important. More than anything else it is important to finish in the top four," Wenger said.

"You can argue that we lost the easiest trophy to win, but if you look at the teams who are still in it doesn't seem as easy to win as usually."

Liverpool and Cardiff are two of the other semi-finalists after wins over Chelsea and Blackburn respectively, with Manchester United playing Crystal Palace in the last quarter-final on Wednesday.

Arsenal fielded a young side against Premier League leaders City, whose victory was their first at Arsenal for 36 years - a run stretching back 28 games.

But with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Emmanuel Frimpong and Francis Coquelin all impressive, Arsenal were unfortunate to be undone by a fantastic City counter attack.

The 83rd-minute winner came from an Arsenal corner and although Wenger was pleased with his side's display, he bemoaned their naivety for the goal.

Wenger said: "It was an unfair result but I felt we were a bit naive. I felt as well we did not take our corners very well but overall what is frustrating is that we lost a game we looked the winner of.

"We put a lot of effort in and are not rewarded. We lacked a little bit of experience to be decisive in the final third."

Like Arsenal, City made 10 changes to their team which was in Premier League action over the weekend.

And coming just two days after a 1-1 draw at Liverpool, City boss Roberto Mancini was pleased that his team remain in the hunt for four trophies after a tough schedule this week.

"It was a difficult win and Arsenal played very well," he told BBC Sport.

"It was a great goal and counter attack is the perfect goal. It's important we won and we want to try and go to the final.

"These games are important because all these players could play in the next game against Norwich."